Meantime the days wore, and Hall-face came not back
till the seventh day, and he brought with him twelve more Runaways,
of whom five were women. But he had lost four men, and had with him
Dallach and five others of the Dalesmen borne upon litters sore hurt;
and this was his story:
They got to the Burg of the Runaways on the forenoon of the third
day, and thereby came on five carles of the Runaways--men who had
missed meeting Dallach that other day, but knew what had been done;
for one of them had been sick and could not come with him, and he had
told the others: so now they were hanging about the Burg of the
Runaways hoping somewhat that he might come again; and they met the
Burgdalers full of joy, and brought them trouts that they had caught
in the river.
As for the other runaways, namely, five women and two more carles--
they had gotten them close to the entrance into Silver-dale, where by
night and cloud they came on a campment of the Dusky Men, who were
leading home these seven poor wretches, runaways whom they had
caught, that they might slay them most evilly in Rose-stead. So
Hall-face fell on the Dusky Men, and delivered their captives, but
slew not all the foe, and they that fled brought pursuers on them who
came up with them the next day, so near was Rose-dale, though they
made all diligence homeward.
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